[Wiemwagon]

Hello!

Today I put a deposit on a used Blue 2001 TDI that has a solid engine and nice straight body. I know I need a heater box since it won't change from heat to ac. The price was right but the clear coat on the outside is really shabby and the tan interior seats and dash parts are terrible.

It looks like greasy engine parts were flung everywhere on every surface and the the seats are ripped. I am not sure where to begin the clean up process. Everything is sticky and greasy. Of course money would fix all of these issue but that is in short supply so I am going to have to do do this for very little cash. I will try and get some pictures of it up in the next week.

Anyone have advice? I am very much interested in this project but a little overwhelmed.
Thanks!!!

 

[Wiemwagon]

Pics of Beetle wet hide the skin peel look

Here is the color. In the pics it is wet and you can't see the sunburn peel. I don't have interior pics yet but it is pretty bad. There are holes in the carpet, seats and black sticky filmy stuff on everything even the tan parts.

 

[dnyed]

I just know you will take good care of this poor, abused New Beetle TDI. I think the color is called Marlin Blue. Pretty, huh?

Take interior pics, so before and after, can be seen. Can't wait to see the progress!

 

[Wiemwagon]

Here are the interior pic. It is so damaged I am unsure where to begin with the cleaning and repairs. Everything is filthy and damaged. I am going to have to find replacement parts for some things for sure. Any suggestions and thoughts would be welcome!
Shanna

 

[scarabY2k]

Thanks for your beetle rescue. She's a diamond in the rough, but a diamond sure enough.

Our Interiors are pretty fun to restore. you get a chance to flex your craft muscles that's for sure. I don't know what your budget is, but the seats are easy to replace. chances are you can find a decent set of seats at the salvage yard , at a reasonable price.

The door cards are removable. you will have to remove the door panel, take the plastic welds holding the card together off with a utility knife or a dremel tool, but be careful...don't wanna cut yourself. we have a good number of interior mod threads here on the org, to give you some ideas on the different fabrics used to recover the door cards.

if the carpet is too far gone, you might even have good fortune to find one out of a salvage car. A good vacuuming and shampoo, and the carpet looks like new.. I lucked out and found some black carpet...yes I had a tan interior, had being the key word. there are companies out there that the sell new carpet if you want to go that route.

then there is the sticky substance on the dash & pretty much the whole interior. VW's "soft touch" interior was a major fail. Search for " interior painting, watch me work". this thread will give you the ins and outs on removing the sticky stuff, as well as. Painting & resurfacing methods.

I know I've thrown a lot out for you to chew on. I guess you'll have to triage what's more important to start with.

also, we have a good group of North Carolina beetlr owners... maybe you can hook up with some of them and they can assist you with various parts and even help with your projects- we're friendly like that

staying tuned for this adventure that's for sure. All the best to you.

 

[Smileybug]

I'll be honest and say you may want to just try to get "new" pieces from another car. My hubby's Jetta has a tan interior and was pretty dirty as well. Seats never came fully clean (that mk4 cloth stains so easily, even from water!) and the dash/center console never got all that clean. And even where he did get it cleaner, the soft touch is all sticky and gross. You certainly can try to clean it up, but I would be on the lookout for better parts.

 

[Wiemwagon]

Thanks for the support folks! I am sure there are some parts I am going to have to buy but funds are in short supply so I am going to need to get things decent with very little resources and a lot of elbow grease.

I spent a lot of time today scrubbing the tan parts of the Beetle today. They are cleaning up very slowly with a scubbing pad and degreaser. Everything seems to have been taken apart at some time because everything is loose, broken and missing pieces. The wolves that pulled the interior apart broke all sorts of parts. I am wondering if bondo can repair some of the broken plastic of the center console. Has anyone tried this?

Shanna

 

[Wiemwagon]

More Questions

This switch doesn't stay completely and I am worried that it will break. The clips seem to be there but the bottom doesn't seem to want to stay clipped into the door. If I force it, I might end up having to buy one. I have the same issue with the ring around the latch to open the door.

 

[Wiemwagon]

so many things to learn

I think the little clips pictured above are cracked but I feel like the should hold...

anybody know what color my bug is? This is what the tag in the wheel well looks like.
I think L ? ? T is what I can figure. It is dark blue and in some light purplish.

 

[MIBug]

I'm so glad I found this thread! I bought a 2000 with the Batik Blue exterior and tan interior and my interior looks just as bad and I was just at the car wash today and tried to clean it and thought it was hopeless! Thank you for showing me there is hope!

 

[MIBug]

It's Batik Blue(LG5T). Mine is the same color and was just looking for my code as well so I can get the one and only rust spot fixed.

 

[TechnoTrix'd]

Great rescue thread for sure. You are doing an amazing job so far!!!

Say, not sure if your aware of it or not, but we have a major GTG on May 3rd in your very state.

Check out the links in my signature for Tail of the Dragon (TOD).

Again great job bringing the little car back.

 

[Wiemwagon]

Success! I know I have not updated this thread for a really long time since there was nothing to report. All the TDI work stalled for a while. Life is just too busy sometimes. I found a tan leather interior set at a junk yard and installed it right away and that helped the beetle limp along for a while.

It has been SLLLOOOOOW going but I got lucky and found a fancy black and red leather interior for it. I took everything out and installed it. It was WAY less scary the second time around and I had actually fun.

It has been so long I couldn't remember how to upload a picture but I did manage it after a bit. The red door cards with the peeling blue car is not a great look but I am pleased with this little clatter wagon getting better and better.

 

[Wiemwagon]

 

[dnyed]

Ooooh!! You found a Color Concept interior! arty:

 

[Jason01tdi]

That thing was rough. Reminds me of my batik blue tdi.